Improvement in combined seats and desks for railroad cars



w. c. HUFFMAN.

Combined Seats and flesks fnr Railroad Cars.

Patented Feb. 4,1873.

Wb'rfws&s.

AM. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPIIIC ca um omen/v53 mocess) UMTEE STATES PATENT EEIcE.

WILLIAM C. HUFFMAN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,557, dated February 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. itknown that I, \VM. (1. HUFFMAN, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Seat and Desk for Railway (Jars; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this s wcification, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, and Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to enable writing to be done with the same case and neatness upon a railroad train when in motion as when at rest; and to this end it consists. principally, in a combined seat and desk, supported upon or by means of springs, and capable ot' a vertical and a semi-rotary motion within certain limits, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in' the peculiar construction and combination of the various parts of the device, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

In the annexed drawing, A represents a circular disk, constructed, preferably, of metal, from the center of which extends vertically upward a round standard, B. Encircling the standard B at and below its upper end is a sleeve. 0, to or upon the upper end of which is aflixed a seat, D, that has, preferably, a circular shape horizontally, and is covered with suitable elastic material. At or near the vertical center of the sleeve 0 is secured a housing, E, which extends outward and downward in the form shown, and furnishes a shield or guard for a spiral spring, F, that has its base secured to or upon the disk A, and its small end contained within the space left between the upper (nd and inner side of said housing and the contiguous portion of the sleeve. The spring thus arranged furnishes an elastic support for the sleeve and seat, which, together, form a stool, and permits the latter to rise or fall as the weight to be supported varies. Three or more tapes or other suitable fastenings, G, secured upon and extending between the outer edge of the disk or base A, and the inner side and upper end of the housing E, limit the upward movement of the stool, and also its rotary motion upon the standard. A foot-rest, H, secured upon and extending horizontally outward from the lower end of the housing E, and a sloping desk, I, secured in proper position upon the upper end of a standard, K, which extends upward from the sleeve 0, completes the device, the operation of which is as follows:

The weight of the occupant causes the stool to be depressed sufficiently to afford a considerable amount of motion vertically between its upper and lower limits, by which means the principal motion and jar of the car are substantially absorbed by the elastic support, and but a small fraction is communicated to said stool. The horizontal motion of the car is, by means of the swiveling ot' the stool, so nearly comp nsated for as to cause little or no inconvenience. and writing or reading can be carried on upon the desk with nearly the same case that would be possible if the car were at rest.

This device is intended for use in drawingroom, mail, and baggage cars, for each of which it is especially applicable.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new 1s- 1. A combined seat and desk, supported upon or by means of springs, and capable of vertical and rotary motion within certain-limits, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbet'ore specified.

2. The device, as a whole, consisting of the base A, standard B, sleeve (3, seat D, housing E, spring F, checks Gr, foot-rest H, and desk I and K, when said parts are constructed and combined substantially as and for r the, purpose shown.

In testimony that I claimthe foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of December, 1872.

WM. 0. HUFFMAN.

Witnesses:

E. D. POTTER, Jr., J. V. SANFLEET. 

